


Today Was a Fairytale

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-17 16:54:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18102593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Louisa learns of the SIlverglade Acres fair, and immediately decides to go there with her girlfriend.





	Today Was a Fairytale

Louisa was surprised, upon arriving to Jorvik, that there didn't seem to be any fairs. Surely, such a country place would have fairs. But, aside from the travelling horse and fashion markets that appeared (the fashion market was rarer than the horse market, she'd quickly discovered) and the odd Jorvik Stables Open House event, there were no real big events in Jorvik. Not like the ones she'd seen back home. She'd attended a few, showing horses, cattle, chickens, ducks, even some dogs and cats, not to mention enjoying the artwork submitted by her friends and family. She missed it, she found.

But then, she saw a poster in Fort Pinta that wasn't about the disco or advertising the Fort (which, yes, it was definitely strange to advertise a tourist attraction in the attraction itself, but apparently James knew what he was doing). She dismounted Daydreamer, her chestnut tobiano paint gelding who she'd been taking to the beach, and walked over to look closer at the poster. A fair, it declared, with wonders and delights. But Louisa's eyes were drawn to the list of attractions, and her curious smile grew into a grin. There would be an animal pavillion! She'd loved those back home, even if her small town hadn't exactly had the room for an animal pavillion. It had had horses, but that had been as far as any kind of 'pavillion' went. There was even a cat house, apparently.

"I thought we were going swimming," said Daydreamer as Louisa rode her horse down from the Fort and over the pier to catch the South Hoof ferry.

"Oh. Sorry," said Louisa, leaning forward to stroke her fingers through his white and chestnut mane gently. "I'll ask Vik to take you, if he doesn't get too distracted by the water." Daydreamer gave a happy snort, flicking his tail. He liked the mermaid, as he referred to Viktor. No matter how many times Louisa had corrected him that Viktor was more of a merman.

Fortunately, Daydreamer seemed quite happy to take Louisa back to her home on South Hoof at a speedy pace. Louisa dismounted, removing his tack before leaving him to walk around in the paddock by her house. Then, after hanging the tack on the fence (Trouble was off somewhere with Richard, so there was no worry of the tack going missing), Louisa jogged to her house, finding, to her delight, that her front door was, indeed, open.

"Lisa," Louisa called after closing the door behind her and taking her boots off. She'd taken her boots off outside to start with, but, after Trouble had stolen at least seven pairs of boots and one pair of sneakers (and too many flip flops, as she had to say because her American friends were immature idiots), she'd decided that inside was far safer for shoes to be.

"I'm in the kitchen, babe!" Lisa called back. Louisa grinned, imagining Lisa baking cookies or cake or something. But, when she entered the kitchen, she found Lisa eating a bag of chocolate chips. Louisa sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I was going to use them to cook with, you know," said Louisa.

"Then you'll just have to buy more, won't you?" Lisa asked, smirking at her. Louisa smiled, unable to fight that logic, and grabbed a handful of chocolate chips from the bag. "Hey, you were just complaining about me eating them."

"Well, the bag's already open," said Louisa, shrugging. "Anyway, I have some news."

"What news?" Lisa asked, leaning against the counter.

"Well, I forgot to take a photo of the flyer, but there's a fair coming to Silverglade," said Louisa. She took her phone out anyway, looking up the name of it. "The Silverglade Acres Show, it's called. It reminds me of the shows I used to go to back home. Well, fairs, I guess you'd call them."

"Ooh, count me in," said Lisa. "You thinking of going as a group or what?"

"Is it bad that I want to just go with my girlfriend?" Louisa asked. Lisa smiled, winding an arm around her girlfriend and kissing her cheek.

"Babe, if it's bad, then a lot of couples are awful people," said Lisa. "We can go, just the two of us. I'm sure your friends won't mind, hell, some might even want to go on dates with their significant other."

"You're right," said Louisa, nodding. "We can always go as a group on the last day, anyway."

"Exactly," said Lisa. "Did you see when it's on?"

"Looking it up now," said Louisa. A grin spread across her face. "Oh, it's this weekend. That's close."

"We'll go tomorrow," said Lisa.

"Yes," said Louisa, putting her phone back away. "I can't wait."

"Me neither," said Lisa. She kissed her gently. "I haven't been to any fairs since I lived in America."

"And I haven't since I lived in Australia," said Louisa. "So this will be interesting."

"I'm glad I'm going to be experiencing it with you," said Lisa. Louisa grinned at her, sharing her girlfriend's thought.

The next day dawned as beautiful as Louisa had hoped. Though, a few nerves still tangled in her stomach as she ran a brush through her long brown hair before tying it back into a braid. Would she look like a country bumpkin? Would she make a fool of herself? What if Lisa was turned off by the way she geeked out about the animals?

But any nerves vanished when Louisa saw Lisa waiting outside, leaning against the wooden fence of the horse paddock. She wore a black cowboy hat over her red hair, though she had her usual attire of brown leather jacket and necklace over her black t-shirt, a purple bandana around her neck, ripped jeans, and black boots. Lisa looked up, grinning, and Louisa felt an answering grin spread across her own face.

"I think we've been to very different fairs growing up," said Lisa, looking at Louisa's red flannel over pale blue jeans.

"Too much?" Louisa asked, tugging on the end of her braid. Lisa strode over to her girlfriend and kissed her.

"You look adorable," said Lisa, smiling at her. "Come on, country girl, we've got a show to go to." Louisa laughed as Lisa linked elbows with her, letting her girlfriend tug her over to her stable. "Now, my dear, pick a horse, any horse."

"Not you," said Louisa, walking past Trouble's stall. Trouble snorted. Louisa stopped in front of Silvermist's stall, though. She petted the old mare's soft nose. "You're nice and gentle and don't spook easy, come on."

"Aww, an old girl," Lisa cooed as Louisa emerged leading Silvermist. Louisa swung herself into the saddle, nodding.

"She's Goldie's mother," said Louisa, petting the mare's mane. "Ready to go?"

"As I'll ever be," said Lisa, swinging herself into Starshine's saddle. She rode close to Louisa on the way to the ferry, after which they rode together to the fairground.

A space had been cleared from Birch Hill all the way to the Everwind Fields, stretching across the roads (which had been blocked off for today) and encompassing the manor as well. Because of course it did, the Baroness was hosting it, after all. Already, Louisa could smell the delicious scents of hot chips, steak sandwiches, fairy floss, popcorn, waffles, and other deep fried delights wafting over the fairground. There was a space up by the manor near the grape fields to leave the horses, which she and Lisa did after paying for their tickets and walking in. Their hands were linked the whole time, thin paper bands of blue that marked them as visitors of the fair wrapped around their wrists.

"Where did you wanna go first?" Lisa asked. "Because I think you know where I wanna go."

"We can eat later," said Louisa. "Come on, let's go to the pavilions before it gets too hot." She remembered doing this back in Australia, walking into the metal-walled pavilions that showed off all sorts of arts and crafts. Though, given that the Baroness was very wealthy, surely she'd been able to splash out for something with air conditioning. And, to her relief, she found that, though the poultry pavilion did smell strongly of chickens (a pleasant smell, if she did say so herself), it was nice and cool. A comfortable temperature for humans and chickens alike, she was sure. The sound of chickens all around her, clucking and singing interspersed with the odd crow, was like the sound of coming home.

Halfway down the aisle of looking in and cooing at every chicken, Louisa remembered who she was here with. A jolt of panic went through her as she turned to where she was sure she'd find a disappointed face. But instead, she found a soft smile on Lisa's face.

"Sorry," said Louisa, stepping away from the cages. "I got a little... overexcited." She bit her bottom lip, her cheeks flushing.

"Honestly? I think I'm going to dream about you cooing to those chickens," said Lisa. "It was adorable!"

"Really?" Louisa asked, fiddling with the end of her braid. Lisa nodded.

"I forgot you're a farm girl," said Lisa. "My adorable little country girl."

"Don't start singing Country Roads in here, please," said Louisa, giggling. But she couldn't deny that she was relieved to not be laughed at. She'd honestly expected Lisa to be disappointed or something. But really, she should have known better.

"I won't," said Lisa. "But only because I don't want you to feel the need to leave. Also because I don't want to be forced to leave because there's a petting zoo here."

"What? Where?" Louisa asked, straightening at once. Lisa pointed, and Louisa turned around to find a few pens set up at the far end of the pavillion. Hay was scattered on the floor over here, and there were already children reaching in to pet the lambs, goats, calves, even some rabbits and little baby chickens and ducklings. "Okay never mind the chickens, come on." Lisa laughed as Louisa dragged her over by the hand, stopping at the little pens and bending over to pick up a little yellow chick. Louisa cooed as she held the tiny creature up to her face, then her chest, cupping her hands around it so that it wouldn't escape.

"I guess you could say that you're good at picking up chicks," said Lisa with a laugh as she climbed into the goat enclosure to wrap her arms around the little kid. She petted it, cooing to it gently. "Oh, you're so cute!"

"Thank you," said Louisa, glad that she was confident enough now to make little quips like that. "Move over, I wanna hold the bunny."

Lisa laughed again as Louisa set down the chick and then carefully climbed over the fence to sit on the hay bale with Lisa, picking up one of the rabbits that she'd seen in Landon's fields. She petted it gently, smiling at the softness of its ears.

"Never thought I'd wish to be a bunny," said Lisa. Louisa kissed her, making Lisa blush. "Thank you."

Memories washed over Louisa as she sat in the petting zoo with Lisa, the scents of various animals wafting around her. The smell of the hay tugged at her heart, though, bringing acute homesickness. She rested her head on Lisa's shoulder, tears in her eyes.

"You okay?" Lisa asked, her voice low, holding a different meaning now.

"I'm fine," said Louisa. "I'm just really missing Australia right now. I used to come pet the baby animals with my sisters, we'd sit here and talk about them all day. Until we got hungry or one of us wanted to go on one of the rides."

"We can go somewhere else if it's getting too much for you," said Lisa. Louisa set the bunny down, wiping her tears away. Immediately, Lisa untied the bandana from around her neck and handed it to her girlfriend. Louisa laughed, using the bandana to get rid of her tears.

"Thanks," said Louisa. "I guess I can come in here again some other day."

"Exactly," said Lisa. "I don't mind seeing the cute baby animals, but not if it makes you cry."

"I'm sorry," said Louisa, looking down at the ground. "It's the hay, mostly."

"Wanna know a secret?" Lisa asked. Louisa nodded. "Sometimes, when I smell barbecue, I start crying, too. Smells have a way of getting to you."

"Maybe one year we could go visit home and I can take you to the show I used to go to," said Louisa. Lisa nodded, a grin spreading across her face.

"And I can take you to a county fair," said Lisa. "You'd love them, I know you would."

"Yes, I'd like that," said Louisa, taking Lisa's hand and squeezing it. "Thank you."

"Anytime," said Lisa, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "I just hate to see you so upset."

"We can go get some food now if you want," said Louisa.

"Actually, I have a better idea," said Lisa. She stood up, brushing hay from her jeans. "Come with me." She waited while a child entered the enclosure via the gate, and then Lisa climbed over the fence. Louisa laughed, following her.

"And you say you're not a country girl," Louisa teased.

"I never said that," said Lisa, winking at her. Their hands were still joined as they walked out of the pavillion, heading back out into the sunshine. Louisa expected Lisa to head straight for the food trucks, so she was surprised when Lisa took a detour down sideshow alley.

Lisa stopped in front of a game where the objective was to knock down bottles. The prize, the man running the game explained, was whatever money was on the bottles and, if enough were knocked down, an oversized teddy bear. Louisa squeezed Lisa's hand, smiling at her. She didn't expect to get anything big, honestly, these things were always rigged.

And then Louisa took a step back, watching as Lisa's tongue poked out of her mouth in concentration. Lisa furrowed her brow, pulled her arm back, and tossed the ball. The first one knocked down only one bottle, to which the guy called bad luck and reminded her that she had two more balls. Lisa hefted the ball in her hand, tossed it at the next cluster of bottles, and knocked down all but one, which wobbled but remained standing. She frowned at it.

The third ball Lisa held in her hand while she turned to look at Louisa. She held the ball up.

"Blow on it for luck," said Lisa. "And then give me a kiss for good luck." Louisa laughed, blushing and looking at the guy. He didn't seem to care one way or the other, only stood there smiling. So Louisa blew on the ball, and then almost fell when Lisa pulled her in for a kiss.

"Good luck," said Louisa, still blushing at kissing her girlfriend so publicly in front of someone else.

The third ball slammed into the bottles, toppling the entire pyramid. Lisa cheered, jumping up and down and pumping her fists in the air.

"Yes! I knew I could do it!" Lisa cheered, bouncing on the balls of her feet. She bounced over to Louisa and hugged her, pressing another kiss to her lips. "You're my good luck charm."

"Well, congratulations," said the guy. "You've knocked down enough bottles to get both the money and a large plush bear." He gestured to the bears hanging from the stand above them.

"Buy yourself something nice, baby," said Lisa, tucking the money into Louisa's shirt pocket and patting it. Louisa blushed. "And now pick a bear, any bear." She gestured with her arm. Louisa looked up, her cheeks still burning.

"The blue one," said Louisa, pointing. The guy stood on a small stepladder and unhooked a blue bear, handing it to Lisa, who held it out for Louisa. The bear was almost the same size as Lisa, a fact that made Louisa want to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Here you go," said Lisa, peeking out from behind the bear. Louisa took it, grinning so much that her cheeks hurt. It was so soft and large.

"Is this for whenever you're not available for hugs?" Louisa asked.

"Well, it's the same size, so yeah," said Lisa. Louisa laughed, a few tears squeezing out too. Lisa kissed her, leaning around the bear.

"Thank you," said Louisa. "I'd hug you but I'm holding the bear."

"Then let's get something to eat and then go on the Ferris Wheel," said Lisa.

"Oh, of course you think with your stomach first," said Louisa, but she laughed.

"Hey, I'm hungry, leave me alone," said Lisa. Louisa giggled, readjusting the bear as she walked over to the food trucks and barbecue area.

The bear sat on the other side of the table in its own chair as they ate and, when the two boarded the Ferris wheel, the bear sat on the bench opposite them while Lisa and Louisa cuddled. Lisa rested her head on her girlfriend's chest, looking up at her.

"I love you," Lisa said, and Louisa knew that Lisa would feel her heart racing. But she stroked her hand over Lisa's hair, ignoring the tremble in it.

"I love you too," said Louisa. Lisa sat up, pressing a kiss to her girlfriend's lips and running a hand over her hair. "I've always wanted to do this, you know."

"What, kissing in a Ferris wheel?" Lisa asked. Louisa nodded. "Me too." Lisa grinned, and their lips came together again just as the Ferris wheel stopped with their car at the top. Their foreheads bumped together, and Louisa gasped and pulled away. Lisa just laughed, though.

"I'm guessing this is an occupational hazard of these, huh?" said Lisa.

"I guess so," said Louisa, still giggling.

"The company holds no liability for kiss-related injuries sustained on this wheel," said Lisa, acting like she was reading the small print on something. And Louisa laughed, feeling so much better than she had earlier. Lisa smiled at her.

"Thank you," said Louisa. "For taking me here and the bear and the food and not laughing at me for being a country bumpkin."

"Hon, I think a fair is the one place you're allowed to act like a country bumpkin," said Lisa. "It's expected. Us country girls fit in here."

"Okay," said Louisa. "So if I entered the whip cracking competition, you wouldn't be embarrassed?" The look on Lisa's face told Louisa that that would be an excellent idea.

"Please enter it tomorrow," said Lisa, her voice a little husky. Louisa blushed.

"Gladly," said Louisa. The way Lisa kissed her only sealed that promise. And promised some fun when they got back to Louisa's.


End file.
